Speaker-Andreas-Spiess

Andreas Spiess

Co-founder & CEO
SOLARKIOSK AG

Andreas Spiess is co-founder and CEO of SOLARKIOSK AG, headquartered
in Berlin, Germany.

Andreas studied law in at the Freie Universität in Berlin and specialized in IP
and corporate law, practicing in Düsseldorf and New York before starting his
own boutique lawfirm Spieß Schumacher Schmieg, & Partner in 1999
(www.spiess-schumacher.de).

Andreas did extensive legal work in the field of renewable energy technology
and developing markets which was the inspiration for his second career as an
impact investor and entrepreneur.

In 2008, Andreas Spiess and his Ethiopian partners founded Solar
Development plc, based in Addis Abeba, which now is one of the biggest
solar system integrators in Ethiopia and a profitable company.

In 2010 he co-founded Fosera Ethiopia plc, a solar lighting product assembly
line based in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Andreas developed the idea for SOLARKIOSK, basically a retail shop chain
for solar products, which runs with the same source of energy as the products
that are sold in the shops, hence “Solar” and “Kiosk”. His partners from
GRAFT architects contributed the award winning technology-design, and –
together with further angel investors – they started the company
SOLARKIOSK AG in 2011.